David Hodges, hip-hop producer, youth worker, and Director of N'we Jinan, talks to RPM about the growth of the N'we Jinan project and Skicin GenerationVol.4, with music produced from four communities of the Wabanaki Confederacy, dropping August 12.
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If storytelling is the lifeblood of Indigenous creative expression, hip-hop has become its most recognizable and resonant form.
Across Indian Country, Native artists are uniting in common consciousness to effect change in their communities and to take a stand to express what they believe in. And they're rocking mics while doing it.
The Last Stand Mixtape, Vol. 1 brings together a rising generation of Indigenous voices dedicated to using art and music for social change. More than a year in the making, the compilation features a who's who of emerging artists mixing hip-hop, R&B, and spoken word poetics over the mixtape's 22 heartfelt tracks.
From Mic Jordan's impassioned opener "#DearNativeYouth" and Enter Tribal's "Love of My Life", to new joints from Tall Paul, Frank Waln, and Def-I, the mixtape includes Native hip-hop from across Turtle Island, plus soulful R&B jams from the likes of Desirae Harp and Inez Jasper.
But it's the addition of spoken word that sets The Last Stand apart. Poetry courses through the album's veins. It weaves through the beat-based tracks with new pieces from The 1491s' Bobby Wilson, Tanaya Winder, and Rowie Shebala, to the beatbox rhyming of Lyla June Johnson's "Sundance Year Round".
The Last Stand Mixtape represents the best aspects of being Indigenous in the 21st century: it's rooted in culture, pushing the boundaries of what's expected, and building a community ready to stand up to anything.
So, as America gathers around the dinner table to binge on turkey and colonial conquest, today's a good to day to give thanks for something worth celebrating—the survival and artistry of Indigenous youth bringing power back to Native America.
TRACK LIST
Five years ago in the original RPM offices in Vancouver's Chinatown, a few weeks before the site launched, Ostwelve said to the team "do you know of Samantha Crain?" We stopped to watch the video for Santa Fe and all fell fast for her rich, almost husky croon, her sweet, inviting, folk style. We've all been fans ever since.
As a fan, while I've adored her vocal and musical style since that day, I felt as a songwriter she hadn't yet grown into her own - not something unexpected from a young artist. With her newest release, Under Branch & Thorn & Tree, and now with years of touring and performing and living this life, Crain has grown up and into her voice as a writer and recording artist. The result is not only her best album yet, but one of the best albums this year. I'm excited we can finally say so - RPM was lucky to get an advance listen of the record and we've been bursting to share our praise for it.
“I don’t write protest songs in the traditional sense,” Crain told The Guardian recently, “but I’m always listening to the voices of people around me. These stories are told from the perspective of the underdog, the 99% of us that are working people. They might not be literal protest songs, but the lives of the people within these songs speak at the same volume if you listen.”
Indeed, the songs showcase nimble, poetic lyrics that tell stories of bitter circumstances, the downtrodden, and broken hearts, with a knowing intimacy that comes from the pen of an adept listener. These stories are wrapped in folk and country stylings (with an occasional synth keeping the indie cred alive and well) and despite the sombre or sad stories, they are lifted by striking imagery and elegant musicality.
Samantha Crain serenades The Dakota Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
Crain is an artist who is seemingly always on tour. Earlier this year she did a number of dates opening for Buffy Ste. Marie, she has headlined her own countless shows, and played major festivals - she is at home in front of large crowds. It was a rare treat that her current CD release tour included a stop in Toronto at the legendary but small Dakota Tavern where Crain charmed the lucky, grateful few there.
There may not be another chance to be up close for a solo performance - Under Branch & Thorn & Tree has the makings of a turning point. Catch her live show soon and get the album even sooner. If you haven't fallen for her yet, you will now: this is the album and moody, sweet summer soundtrack you've been waiting for.
Hochunk-Northern Cheyenne hip-hop artist Kunu Dittmer—aka Stryk-9—has been at the game for years, building and creating throughout the Northwest with his Indigenous crew, the Burial Ground Sound Collective.
Stryk-9's new single, "In The Spirit", is a heartfelt portrait of empowerment and Indigenous struggle that comes drumming through your speakers with the spirit of Crazy Horse. Opening with a throwback soul sample that flips a traditional hand drum song and vocal over a head-knocking hip-hop beat, Stryk-9 spits raw verses about bringing his creativity into action for clan, fam, and all relations.
But as he asks in the track's closing lines, what can we do in the face of "world wars and global warming", when we're "living the story of creation / the destruction of the system that's corrupting the spirit of women and men / is it the beginning or the end?"
Politically charged, but decidedly personal in its ambition to bring truth to the light for the benefit of all Indigenous Peoples, this is a revolutionary warrior's anthem for the conscious, proud, and free.
Catch Stryk-9 and the Burial Ground Sound Collective, alongside Almas Fronterizas and Katrina Benally (Diné), at "Uprising at the Abbey"—an all ages, hip-hop showcase organized as part of the One Flaming Arrow Festival's closing night—Sunday, June 14 in Portland, Oregon. Full event info here.
DOWNLOAD: Stryk-9's - "In The Spirit"
Watch Stryk-9's "In The Spirit"
Kicking off last week in Portland, Oregon, the inaugural One Flaming Arrow Festival is bringing an incredible array of contemporary Indigenous art, music, readings, film screenings, panels, performances, and concerts to the Indigenous lands of the Chinook/Multnomah peoples.
The brainchild of Demian DinéYazhi, Kaila Farrell-Smith (both of R.I.S.E.), and Carlee Smith, One Flaming Arrow launched a successful crowdfunding campaign this winter to bring together radical Indigenous voices from across Native america for a 12-day celebration of contemporary Indigenous arts.
The festival features a stellar lineup that includes:
In between the low-rider bike workshops, storytelling sessions, art installations, poetry performances, and an Indigenous Futurisms film night curated by Grace Dillon, the festival is also showcasing some of the finest in Indigenous music culture.
On Tuesday, June 9th, Diné experimental/noise musician Raven Chacon (of Postcommodity), White Mountain Apache violinist Laura Ortman, and the Diné electro-queerpostpunk duo Discotays will throw down at the Holocene. Event info is below.
The One Flaming Arrow Festival continues through June 14th. Check the festival program for the full schedule of events.
One Flaming Arrow offers stark and powerful evidence of the Indigenous artists at the forefront of the contemporary creative arts. May this year be the first of many to come.
Listen to an OPB radio interview on the One Flaming Arrow Festival
JUNE 9th: Laura Ortman & Raven Chacon Performance and the Discotays at the Holocene!
9:30pm-11:30pm Holocene: 1001 SE Morrison, Portland 97214 Join us on June 9th, 2015 at the Holocene in Portland, Oregon for Raven Chacon & Laura Ortman + Discotays. We have the honor of showcasing two award-winning multi-instrumentalists, Indigenous composers Raven Chacon & Laura Ortman along with the musical styling of Discotrays.
Tickets available here
DISCOTAYS (Diné) are a music duo from Navajo Nation, comprised of artists Hansen Ashley & Brad Charles. Their music has been adored by the likes of Kathleen Hanna and can be described as post-punk electro & queerpostpunk / queerpostsurf / queernowave.
Laura Ortman (White Mountain Apache) has performed with Stars Like Fleas, the Dust Dive & Silver Summit, & composes music for art installations & films in the form of the Dust Dive Flash. She plays violin, Apache violin, piano, electric guitar, musical saw & samplers. Ortman has created music for films by Martha Colburn & Indigenous filmmakers Blackhorse Lowe, Alan Michelson, & Raquel Chapa, among others.
Raven Chacon (Diné/Chicano) is a chamber music composer & experimental noise artist. Chacon is a member of the Indigenous art collective, Postcommodity, with whom he has developed multi-media installations that have been exhibited internationally. Both his solo work & his work with Postcommodity has been presented at the Sydney Bienale, Kennedy Center, Adelaide International, Vancouver Art Gallery, Musée d’ art Contemporain de Montréal, The San Francisco Electronic Music Festival, Chaco Canyon, & Performance Today. Tickets are $8 in advance & $10 at the door. 21 and over.
Watch Raven Chacon, Live at End Tymes in New York City
For the past several years, Minneapolis-based, hip-hop artist Tall Paul has been dropping tracks as part of his #AheadoftheGame series/mixtape, where he releases a new song each week the Minnesota Vikings play, prior to the game.
Last year he compiled those tracks into the Ahead of the Present mixtape, a nice collection of hip-hop jams and thoughtful lyrics.
Now the sunny and soulful, Bahwee-produced joint, "Walk Rite", gets a fresh visual treatment—just in time for #ThrowbackThursday—courtesy of Jake Handegard at Morningside Films and co-directed by Tall Paul. Check the clip and download the track below.
Watch Tall Paul - "Walk Rite"
DOWNLOAD: Tall Paul - "Walk Rite"
A collection of originals and cover songs, the album includes the techno-laced, anthemic title track (the result of a collaboration with electronic group Alabama 3) Power in the Blood, the reiteration of the longevity and diversity of Buffy's career in the re-imagining of the title track from her 1964 debut album It's My Way, her take on UB40's Sing Our Own Song, and the fiery reworking of her 1972 released break-up song Not the Lovin' Kind.
In addition to the updated spin on existing material, the stand out new songs Carry it On and We Are Circling celebrate the sanctity and beauty of life and nature and, what we know and love Buffy best for, scathing political and social commentary.
Of seeming unending energy to speak and perform, Buffy is currently touring in support of the new album throughout the UK, the US, and Canada - check out the full list of tour dates below.
Listen to the title track now, actually don't just listen, stand up and join in, "there's power in the blood, justice in the soul."
STREAM: Buffy Sainte-Marie - "It's My Way"
Tour dates:
03/18 Cardiff, UK - Motorpoint Arena * 03/20 Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena * 03/21 Glasgow, UK - The SSE Hydro * 03/24 Belfast, UK - Odyssey Arena * 03/26 London, UK - The Tabernacle 03/27 Birmingham, UK - Barclaycard Arena * 04/26 Sidney, BC - Mary Winspear Centre 04/29 Campbell River, BC - The Tidemark Theatre 04/30 North Vancouver, BC - Capilano University Centre for the Performing Arts Theatre 05/01 North Vancouver, BC - Capilano University Centre for the Performing Arts Theatre 05/06 London, ON - Aeolian Hall 05/07 Toronto, ON Koerner Hall 05/09 Burnstown, ON - Neat Coffee Shop 05/15 Lincoln, NE - University of Nebraska Lincoln 05/17 Chicago, IL - City Winery 05/18 Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live 05/19 Washington, DC - The Hamilton 05/20 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom 07/16 Grass Valley, CA - California Worldfest 08/07 Little Current, ON - Manitoulin Country Fest
Buffy's new album, Power in the Blood, is available now on iTunes.
After premiering her infectious lead single, "As Long As You Are Here", last week, we're happy to bring you an exclusive album stream of Mariame's debut EP, Bloom, released today on N'we Jinan Records.
Bloom is a dynamic introduction to the rising Cree/Algerian singer's accomplished take on contemporary pop and R&B that weaves well-crafted hooks, airtight production, and Mariame's assured vocal presence throughout the EP's six songs.
Opener "Now You Know It" is a confident statement about coming through heartbreak stronger than ever, while "Electric" amps up the energy into a dancefloor-ready club anthem. "All For You" is a lovestruck ode to remaining true to yourself and "staying afloat / even when times get rough"—a recurrent theme of optimism and strength that runs throughout the album.
Halfway through Bloom, however, the record drops into one of its most emphatic statements: a decidedly 21st century take on Indigenized pop music. "Native" spins a tale of cultural recovery, renewed strength, and love for her people, and it features expertly chopped vocal samples and a fire verse from the legendary and multitalented Apsáalooke hip-hop artist Supaman.
"Vulnerable" traces a moving story of a young girl's experience confronting past experiences of abuse and violence—but moving above and beyond them. Concluding the EP, "As Long As You Are Here", Mariame's impassioned lead single, closes the album with power and poise.
Picking up the Indigenous pop/R&B torch lit by the likes of Inez Jasper, Mariame is a young artist blazing her own way into popular music consciousness. And, at 24, she's just getting started.
STREAM: Mariame's Bloom EP
Download Mariame’s debut EP, Bloom, on iTunes.
Aztec/Apache/Cherokee hip-hop artist, Wake Self, has been holding it down for a minute, and we'll be the first to admit that we've been sleeping on this incredibly talented MC.
But that's all done now. We're officially on board.
Following a dope freestyle flip of Drake's "0 to 100" instrumental a few months back, the Albuquerque-based MC jumps back into action with his latest joint, "Different", a dynamic posse cut featuring Bay Area MC Equipto, Miles Bonny, and Oakland’s Crown City Rocker Raashan Ahmad.
Wake Self's voice is instantly recognizable and his flow is undeniable, plus he's thoughtful, clever, and intelligent. Over a head-nodding beat produced by MaulSkull, Wake Self and his comrades spit some serious bars about keeping it true to self, embracing your uniqueness, and the need to actively uncage your imagination.
If knowledge of self is one of hip-hop's foundational elements, it's also an essential part of the struggle for decolonization and self-liberation.
So let these talented MCs take you on a trip to the forefront of the Indigenous hip-hop movement. They're chasing a dream bigger than fame and money, and that's the path to self-love and acceptance—a more powerful form of wealth than any material gain could give.
Like the chorus tells it: "you might be different / but that don't make no difference / just do what you gotta do".
True.
DOWNLOAD: Wake Self - "Different" feat. Equipto, Miles Bonny, and Raashan Ahmad
Wake Self's latest album, Good Things Happen to Those Who Wake, is available now at wakeself.com. His new album, Malala, is set to be released this summer.
Following the release of his acclaimed album Indian Summer last year, Plains Cree hip-hop artist Drezus has been dropping singles on SoundCloud that provide deeper context on the album's inspiration.
Recently, he posted "The Sequel", a heartfelt and personal account of his parents' experiences with residential schools—and his own attempts to reckon with the intergenerational legacy of colonialism. Drezus explains:
I decided to put this up for download after I reunited with my Dad recently and we spoke about his experiences with Residential School. His parents were forced to go as well, creating problems for all generations ahead, including mine. I didn't know my Dad growing up but recently made peace with the man and felt this tells an important story of just one of many families affected by the system.
The Rezofficial alumnus uses his time on the mic wisely, not just to account for the loss of his father's presence, but to call out the collective confusion of "the new world order" and call on his people "to take back all that we own".
Impassioned and honest, without being corny, "The Sequel" reminds us that we're all still trying to recuperate, and that "instead of killing our own / we should focus on our fam and protecting our home".
Tapwe, brother. Keep bringing that fire.
DOWNLOAD: Drezus - "The Sequel"
Thanks to a #SwayintheMorning mega cypher featuring Minnesota-based MCs Tall Paul and Knox, we just got put on to Thomas X.
Part of the 100 Souls crew and Rez Rap Records, the Red Lake Anishinaabe MC is making moves and today he dropped his new EP, Have a Good Day.
Stream and download it for free on his bandcamp and support underground emcees putting in love and much work to support true hip-hop culture and Indigenous pride.
Have a Good Day is on some throwback to the boom bap era vibes, without dwelling in nostalgia. Thomas X kicks his laid back cadence with confidence and persona, weaving personal stories of struggle and survival over solid production from Mike the Martyr.
In the absence of institutional support and a larger urban scene, the Rez Rap crew has had to do it for themselves—building their production and audience brick by brick, listener by listener.
Thomas X holds it down on that front, filling the EP with bold declarations of love for his people, family, and homeland, while standing up to represent his nation and community.
Salute to all the Indigenous lyrical warriors on the come up. Now give Thomas X a listen.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Thomas X - Have a Good Day EP
Revolutions Per Minute is a global new music platform, record label, and boutique agency for Indigenous music culture. RPM’s mission is to build a visionary community of Indigenous artists and to introduce Indigenous music to new audiences across Turtle Island and around the world. Our main site, RPM.fm, has featured the work of more than 500 Indigenous artists and shared their music across our social networks of more than 275,000 followers.
RPM Records is the first of its kind: a label for contemporary, cross-genre Indigenous music, run by Indigenous people. Selected by The FADER as one of “5 New Canadian Record Labels The Entire World Should Know”, RPM Records artists include Ziibiwan, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Exquisite Ghost, and Mob Bounce.
